[0001] This invention relates to dispensing devices for liquids such as liquid hand soap,
and of the type comprising a flexible plastic bag containing the liquid and having
a lower end portion formed by mutually opposite front and back walls.
[0002] The back wall has a hole in which a self-closing metering valve is sealed. This valve
comprises a tubular part which extends through the hole in the bag wall, with its
outer end normally closed by a self-closing valve. The upper end of this part is
open to the inside of the bag but closed by an elastically deflective dome having
a hole through which liquid in the bag can enter and fill the space between the inside
of the dome and the self-closing valve. The dome is completely on the inside of the
bag walls.
[0003] By finger pressure on the other bag wall it presses against and seals the hole in
the dome and with continued pressure collapses the dome so that it acts as a piston
to increase the pressure of the liquid on the self-closing valve, the latter consequently
opening and dispensing the liquid. After the dome has been collapsed completely the
finger pressure on the other bag wall is released, the self-closing valve closes and
with the hole in the dome now open the space between the inside of the dome and the
self-closing valve refills with the liquid.
[0004] The bag is normally hung by its top against the back wall of a cabinet having a forwardly
projecting shelf, the bottom or lower portion of the bag being folded forwardly so
as to form upper and lower walls, and supported on this shelf with a portion of its
valve extending downwardly through the hole in the shelf. Each finger pressure on
the upper bag wall causes the liquid to be dispensed in the form of shots each metered
in volume by the volume of the space beneath the dome and self-closing valve.
[0005] An advantage of a preferred embodiment of the present invention is achieved by providing
a device of the type described with the actuating dome positioned completely outside
of the bag through the upper bag wall, and free from the hole in the top of the dome.
[0006] Another advantage is achieved by providing such a device with the elastically deflective
dome replaced by a rigid piston having a flat bottom reducing the possibility for
the entrapment of any substantial volume of air under the bottom. An example of prior
art device having the dome provided with the hole and positioned completely on the
inside of the bag where it can be actuated only through deflecting the bag wall, is
provided by the Roggenburg and Laauwe patent 4,478,356.
[0007] Accordingly, the present invention provides a dispensing device for a bag made of
flexible material and forming upper and lower walls through which mutually registered
holes are formed for receiving the device, the device comprising a tubular lower part
having a top forming an outward flange which is sealed to the inside of the lower
wall with the lower part depending through the hole in the lower wall, and a tubular
upper part having a top forming an outwardly flange which is sealed to the inside
of the upper wall and depending through the hole in the upper wall and telescoped
inside the lower part and movable up and down therein, the top of the upper part forming
a piston closing the top and accessible on the outside of the upper wall, spring means
for elastically biasing the parts apart from each other so that normally there is
a space between the flanges, the lower part having a lower end and a self-closing
valve normally closing the lower end of the lower part, the lower part having at least
one side port normally open to said space so that liquid in the bag can flow into
the parts, movement of the upper part into the lower part moving the flanges into
intercontact and sealing the space between the flanges.
[0008] Preferably, the upper and lower parts each comprise a plastic molding.
[0009] Preferably, the device has a spider which has a ring positioned between said parts
and said spring means comprises an annular series of leafsprings formed by the ring
of the spider and which bear against the bottom periphery of the upper part.
[0010] Preferably, the spring means comprises an annular series of springs formed by the
flange of one of said parts and which bear against the flange of the other said parts.
[0011] Preferably, the piston is in the form of an elastically collapsible dome closing
the top of said upper part and extending upwardly through the hole in the upper wall
and exposed on the outside of the upper wall.
[0012] Preferably, the piston is in the form of a rigid wall substantially on the same level
as the top of the upper tubular part and which is rigidly connected to the top of
the upper part.
[0013] Briefly summarized, applicant's new device requires both the upper and lower walls
of the forwardly folded lower bag portion, to be formed with holes which mutually
register. The device has a lower tubular part depending through the hole in the lower
bag wall and an outward flange on its top which is sealed to the inside of the lower
wall, and an upper tubular part having a top forming a piston which is accesible upwardly
through the hole in the upper bag wall and outside of the upper bag wall. This upper
part has an outer flange which is sealed to the inside of the upper bag wall and from
which depends a tubular part which is slidingly telescoped inside of the lower part
of the device. The two bag walls keep the lower and upper parts from completely separating.
The lower part has its outer or bottom end closed by a self-closing valve.
[0014] A spring arrangement elastically biases the lower and upper parts of the device normally
separated so that there is a space between the opposing flanges of the parts, and
the upper part has a circumferencial series of ports through which liquid can flow
to the inside of the device through the space between the two flanges, to between
the dome and self-closing valve of the device.
[0015] With this new device the actuator , dome or piston, is on the outside of the bag
walls where it is directly accessible. The dome or piston is free from the prior art
hole requiring closure by the finger of the person actuating the device.
[0016] To operate the new device the dome or piston is pressed downwardly until the upper
part telescopes down into the lower part so that the flanges of the two parts intercontact
and seal off the inside of the device from the inside of the bag containing the liquid.
Continued pressure on the dome or piston now causes pressure on the liquid trapped
inside the device, so that the self-closing valve is forced open and dispensing of
the liquid occurs. The amount of liquid dispensed for each operation of the device
is determined by the volume of the interior of the device between the dome or piston
and the self-closing valve.
[0017] The accompanying drawings illustrate examples of the new device, the various figures
being as follows:
Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the type of cabinet previously referred to.
Fig. 2 is a perspective view with the front of the cabinet removed and showing the
bag of liquid with the downwardly extending portion of the new device about to be
inserted in the hole through the forwardly projecting shelf of the cabinet.
Fig. 3 is a vertical section of the new device when using the dome.
Fig. 4 is a horizontal cross section taken on the line IV-IV in Fig. 3.
Fig. 5 is the same as Fig. 3 but shows the two parts of the device pressed together
so that the flanges of the two parts seal together.
Fig. 6 is like Fig. 5 but shows the actual dispensing operation.
Fig. 7 is an exploded view of the new device.
Fig. 8 is like Fig. 3 but shows a modification of the device.
Fig. 9 is a cross section taken on the line IX-IX in Fig. 8.
Fig. 10 is like Fig. 8 but shows the initial stage of operation.
Fig. 11 is like Fig. 9 but shows the actual dispensing operation.
Fig. 12 is like Fig. 3 but shows the device when using a rigid piston; and
Fig. 13 is like Fig. 12 but shows the dispensing operation.
[0018] The cabinet shown by Figures 1 and 2 has a back wall 1 which is vertical and ordinarily
fastened to a vertical wall, and a forwardly projecting shelf 2 having the hole 3.
In Fig. 2 the cabinet cover is removed, and the bag 4 formed by flexible front and
back walls and having its lower portion folded forwardly is about to be laid on the
shelf 2 with the bag's dispensing device having its downwardly lower part about to
be inserted in the hole 3. The bag is made from very flexible plastic sheets side
seemed together hermetically and containing the liquid to be dispensed such as liquid
soap.
[0019] The lower tubular part 5 of the device is formed with a rib 5a and the hole 3 is
formed with a groove 3a, insuring that only appropriate bags are used with the cabinet.
[0020] The lower part 5 of the device is preferably cylindrical and has an inner end with
an external flange 6 for sealing to the inside of the lower bag wall 4a. This tubular
body of the lower part 5 extends downwardly for insertion in the hole 3 of the cabinet
and its bottom end supports an elastically deflective diaphragm 7 having a discharge
opening forming a valve seat 8. A valve head 9 is stationary and supported above the
valve seat 8 by a spider 9 having a periphery snapped in a groove on the inside of
the part 5. The valve seat 8 is normally pressed against the valve head 9 by the elasticity
of the diaphragm 7, liquid under pressure on the top of this diaphragm causing it
to move downwardly and open the valve seat 8 from the valve head 9.
[0021] The device includes an upper part formed by a tubular or cylindrical body 12 having
an upper flange 14 which is sealed to the inside of the upper wall of the bags forwardly
folded bottom portion. The tubular body 12 of the upper part 13 is telescoped inside
of the tubular body of the lower part and can slide up and down in the lower part.
[0022] The spider 9 is formed with an annular series of upward acting springs 9a which bear
against the bottom periphery of the upper part 13 and keep it elastically biased upwardly.
The two parts of the valve cannot completely separate because of the restraint offered
by the bag walls 4a and 4b. The tubular body 12 of the upper part has a circumferential
series of ports 15 which registered with the space between the separated flanges 6
and 14, and liquid in the bag can flow through these ports to the inside of the upper
and lower parts of the device.
[0023] The upper part from its flange 14 upwardly has the elastically deflective dome 16
which is free from the top hole of the prior art devices. For operation, the dome
16 is initially pressed downwardly, the entire upper part moving downwardly so that
the flanges 6 and 14 press together and fluid-tightly trap the liquid that flowed
into the device initially. After only a short downward movement the bottom 12a of
the upper part's body 13 completely collapses the springs 9a and solidly engages a
periphery of the spider 9, as shown by Fig. 5. Continued pressure on the dome causes
it to collapse and pressurize the liquid trapped in the device so that the liquid
presses the diaphragm 7 of the self-closing valve downwardly, so that discharge is
effected as shown by Fig. 6.
[0024] The modification shown by Figures 8 and 9 is the same in principal but differs in
construction details. In this case the springs 9a are replaced by a circumferential
series of spring fingers 9b formed by the upper part's flange 14a and which press
against the lower part's flange 6. In this way the flanges are biased apart as before.
Positively limiting the upward movement of the upper part from the lower part, the
lower part has one or more projections or beads 17 which ride in vertical grooves
18 and limit vertical movement. In this way the parts are held in separation whether
or not the device is installed with its two parts sealed to the two bag walls.
[0025] The example shown by Figs. 12 and 13 uses the rigid type of piston.
[0026] In this case the tubular part 5a of the lower part and the tubular part 12a of the
upper part are lengthened and the springs 9b extended more upwardly so that the upper
part can move through a much longer distance than before relative to the lower part.
The posts 15a are positioned so as to be closed by the tubular post 15a so that liquid
in the devise is locked against reverse flow soon after initial downward displacement
of the upper part. This locking occurs whether or not the flanges 6a and 14a interengage.
[0027] Instead of the dome, the top of the upper tubular part is closed by a solid rigid
wall 16a. If the upper part is plastic this wall may be integral with the tubular
part and rigidfied by ribs 16b. This flat top can be on the same level or close thereto
as the balance of the upper part but exposed to the outside of the upper bag wall.
[0028] When operated the entire upper part moves downwardly with its rigid top acting as
a rigid piston. The upper part should be proportioned so that is does not bottom on
the ring 9c until an adequate liquid discharge is obtained.
[0029] The advantage is that the flat rigid top does not provide space below its bottom
for the collection of air which might interfere with the desired operation of the
device.
1. A dispensing device for a bag made of flexible material and forming upper and lower
walls through which mutually registered holes are formed for receiving the device,
the device comprising a tubular lower part having a top forming an outward flange
which is sealed to the inside of the lower wall with the lower part depending through
the hole in the lower wall, and a tubular upper part having a top forming an outwardly
flange which is sealed to the inside of the upper wall and depending through the hole
in the upper wall and telescoped inside the lower part and movable up and down therein,
the top of the upper part forming a piston closing the top and accessible on the outside
of the upper wall, spring means for elastically biasing the parts apart from each
other so that normally there is a space between the flanges, the lower part having
a lower end and a self-closing valve normally closing the lower end of the lower part,
the lower part having at least one side port normally open to said space so that liquid
in the bag can flow into the parts, movement of the upper part into the lower part
moving the flanges into intercontact and sealing the space between the flanges.
2. The device of claim 1 in which said upper and lower parts each comprise a plastic
molding.
3. The device of Claim 1 or Claim 2 in which a spider has a ring positioned between
said parts and said spring means comprises an annular series of leafsprings formed
by the ring of the spider and which bear against the bottom periphery of the upper
part.
4. The device of any preceeding claim in which said spring means comprises an annular
series of springs formed by the flange of one of said parts and which bear against
the flange of the other said parts.
5. The device of any preceeding claim in which said piston is in the form of an elastically
collapsible dome closing the top of said upper part and extending upwardly through
the hole in the upper wall and exposed on the outside of the upper wall.
6. The device of any preceeding claim in which said piston is in the form of a rigid
wall substantially on the same level as the top of the upper tubular part and which
is rigidly connected to the top of the upper part.